Over the past several years many organizations have implemented open plan offices, also referred to as cubicles or simply cubes. One reason for this is the belief that an open environment enables better communication that leads to innovation and more satisfied customers. Companies can cut occupancy costs by squeezing more people into less space in open plans. Many companies want to motivate employees to work together by moving into collaborative, team-oriented environments. An open plan can help address problems related to isolation and storing of information. Networked information exchange is a logical outcome when people engage their colleagues in corridor and workspace conversations.
With energy conservation a concern, there is an explosion of interest in sustainable building design. Fewer private offices means fewer walls, simpler air handling systems, and less construction waste and materials. An open plan creates opportunities to bring daylight into the interior, reducing lighting and cooling loads.
Open plan offices can have a high density of phones. When multiple people in the same office are on the same call, there is opportunity for echo due to the sound traveling both within the office and over the conference call. When people are sufficiently close or talk with sufficient volume, their speech can be picked up by the microphones of other callers introducing additional echo.